


Freed from the Past

by rowanskies



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Childhood Trauma, Friendship, Gen, Other, Tattoos, Therapy, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:48:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28001184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rowanskies/pseuds/rowanskies
Summary: Modern au Link is getting another tattoo with his friend Zelda there for support. Link uses his tattoos as ways to signify that he has worked through that specific trauma, this tattoo is one of Skull Kid and the memories Link has of him.
Relationships: Link & Aveil, Link & Skull Kid (Legend of Zelda), Link & Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Kudos: 3





	Freed from the Past

Link: hey what are you doing tomorrow at 4?

Zelda: I don’t think I have anything planned, why?

Link: I’m getting another tattoo, you wanna come? Usual place

Zelda: Absolutely! I’ll see you there. I’m so excited to see what you’re getting this time! ;)

*the next day*

Link was leaning against the outside _Majora’s Mask Tattoo_ with his hands tucked into the front pockets of his jeans, nervously bouncing his leg as he waited for Zelda to show up. 

He’d gone through the whole tattoo process too many times to count, with tattoos covering the entirety of his arms, chest, and onto his back. Originally, the tattoos had just been something to cover up his scars from the war and to distract him from all the trauma that would plague him every time he went to sleep. But then they became a form of comfort once Link started going to therapy regularly. His anxiety, depression, nightmares, all of those would be expressed in the tattoos that he continually got etched onto his skin.

By the time he’d worked through a lot of his main nightmares, his entire upper body was nearly completely covered with artwork that reminded him of his failures, inspired him, brought him joy, or broke his heart all over again.

Lost in thought, Link didn’t notice Zelda’s car pull up in the parking lot, nor her getting out of her car until she was nearly next to him and said in a teasing tone, “Hey sleepyhead, what world are you dreaming of now?”

Link looked up abruptly, embarrassed he was caught daydreaming yet again but smiled in relief that his friend had finally arrived. The two friends make their way inside to be greeted by Aveil, Link’s close friend and the tattoo artist. 

“Hey, you! It’s about time you arrived, I was getting impatient,” Aveil remarks with a grin on her face.

Link’s eyes crinkle as he grins back at Aveil and gives her a firm punch in the arm for good humor.

Zelda giggles and in-between laughs says, “It feels like just last week we were here for another tattoo for Link!” 

“That’s because it WAS last week! Pffft- hahaha!” Aveil replies.

Aveil then looks at Link and motions him to sit reverse in the chair and get comfortable, because for the next few hours Link would be stuck in that position for the tattoo going onto his back just below his ribs on the left side.

Aveil snaps on black gloves and takes a seat next to Link, pulling her cart of inks and tools towards her, it clattering as it rolls along the floor. Zelda settles in the padded chair a few feet away from the other two as she tucks her legs underneath her and pulls out a book to read to pass the time.

Link sinks head down between his crossed arms, already lost in his own mind as Aveil places the purple stencil on his skin, gently pressing the edges to make sure it all transfers, and as she slowly peels back the paper a perfect purple outline of Skull Kid, before he was corrupted, can be seen.

Due to the nature of Link’s scar tissue, he doesn’t even feel the pricking of the tattoo needle as Aveil begins tracing Skull Kid’s form. Instead, Link thinks about the last time he saw Skull Kid.

  
  


_Link was laying in the fields just outside of town, eyes closed, basking in the warmth he could feel on his face from the sun, practicing the visualization exercises his therapist had recommended to him earlier that afternoon. So lost in his thoughts, Link didn’t notice the sudden clouds approaching from the west, covering the sun and bringing with them a cold breeze._

_Feeling a cold drop of water splash onto his forehead, Link’s eyes opened in a flash only for another drop to land right in his eye. Grunting, Link sat up, rubbing his eye as the rain began to fall heavier and heavier, quickly drenching his green t-shirt. Link knew it was pointless trying to rush to find cover, so instead, he slowly stood up, stretching side to side and beginning to walk towards the cover of the forest, he didn’t feel like returning to town yet._

_As he marched through the mushy grass, he came across the tunnel that was a hotspot for local children and teenagers. It was formed when loggers a few years back had felled the oldest tree in the area, but after protest from the locals had been left to rot instead of being harvested. Over time it had hollowed out, leaving a petrified wooden tunnel where youngsters frequently played games in, and of course more nefarious activities by teenagers._

_Standing outside the tunnel, Link could hear the quiet crying of a child inside. Concerned, he quickly ducked inside to find himself face to face with an old enemy, Skull Kid. Despite their fight being in the past and knowing Skull Kid wasn’t in his right mind when it happened, there were still scars from their interactions that Link hadn’t yet recovered from._

_Internally, Link battled with his desire to comfort the small child, but also with the desire to run away, because if he confronted Skull Kid he would also have to live through the horrors he caused yet again._

_Somehow, whether it be the courage that had always pushed Link to be the hero of others or the heart-wrenching cries of the little child that Link pitied, he approached Skull Kid with cautious steps and gently rested his hand on the little boy’s shoulder._

_Spooked, Skull Kid yelped and recoiled from Link’s touch, red eyes swiveling to look at who had tried to touch him. Upon realizing who had come to comfort him, Skull Kid could only cry harder as the guilt at what he had done to the town, and especially Link, drowned him._

_Gasping, Skull Kid choked out, “I-I-I’m so sorry Link! F-for everything I did, all the p-pain I caused. I-I d-didn’t mean it, I didn’t k-knowww…”_

_Shuddering from the cold, Skull Kid couldn’t stop the tremors from reaching his voice as his thoughts continued to spiral._

_Knowing his words were sincere, Link frowned, and so decided to sit next to Skull Kid, wrapping his arm around the kid’s shoulders and pulling him close in an attempt to comfort the little boy._

_After what could have been a few hours, the rain outside finally stopped, and so did the trembling sobs coming from Skull Kid’s small frame. Gentle sighs could be heard from his mouth as his body relaxed into sleep curled into Link’s side._

_‘He isn’t so bad, he’s just as wounded as I am. He needs this sleep more than anyone’ Link thinks to himself._

_While Skull Kid sleeps, Link’s thoughts wander through memories of his childhood. Of running around town with the other kids, pretending to be a secret underground club and of the day Skull Kid showed up. The day everything burned, and Link was left alone to deal with the tragedy._

_Of having to defeat Skull Kid, hurting another child to the point of no return in an attempt to save his home, and in the process scarring the both of them._

_Link shakes his head, he doesn’t like reliving that particular memory and rubs the back of his neck as the scar flares in pain in memory of the final fight. This movement jostled Skull Kid enough that he then jolted awake, forgetting where he was. The little boy is frantically looking around until his eyes land on Link, and quickly his face transforms into one of guilt and sadness. He scrambles up from his spot next to Link, and with another muttered apology, begins sprinting off towards the forest._

_Link gets up in pursuit of Skull Kid, but his body is battered and doesn’t move as well as it used to. Too many injuries and traumas have limited Link’s capability to pursue, despite his young age, and quickly loses Skull Kid in the thick underbrush of the forest._

  
  


Finished with the outline of Skull Kid, Aveil nudges Link in the shoulder, bringing him back to the present. “Come back next week and we’ll finish coloring this one and it’ll be done alright?” Aveil states.

Nodding in understanding, Link moves to stand and throws on the same old green t-shirt he wore so many years ago, the last time he saw Skull Kid. Zelda looks up from her book and throws a granola bar and some water at her friend with a stern look, knowing that tattoos can be tiresome despite the protests of the young man.

Link smiles in appreciation and quickly starts munching on the snack while Aveil cleans up her tools. Zelda starts, “Thanks again Aveil, you’re really a godsend, who knew what we’d do without you. Who else would this rascal go-to for tattoos every week!”

“Anything for an old friend,” Aveil replies.

Zelda and Link wave in farewell as they leave the little shop and Zelda turns to Link, “Will you be okay to drive yourself home?”

Link nods his head in affirmation and turns towards his car with a quick wave of his hand in farewell. 

Back in his small apartment, Link drops his key on the kitchen table and makes his way into the bathroom to inspect the progress on his latest tattoo. He lifts up his shirt and twists his body in the mirror, trying to see the Skull Kid he knew would now be on his skin. Upon seeing the little figure, a single tear falls down Link’s face in remembrance of the sad little boy, and how he’d never know that Link was no longer haunted by what happened all those years ago.

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this piece on Tumblr https://lunie-junk.tumblr.com/post/617655900617998336/he-told-us-that-he-had-been-fighting-with-his


End file.
